The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-16
pIAMoND-cuTTlNG.
A Particular Work Almost Wholly In the
Hands of Amsterdam Israelites.

A Particular Work Almost Wholly In the
Hands of Amsterdam Israelites.
All the employees in every one of the
diamond-cutting establishments in the
city Of Amsterdam are Israelites. 1t is
well known fact that this city is the
center and principal place where dis
mond-cutting is followed. Every re-
nowned gem Of the first water has been
cut by an Amsterdamer expert either
in this city or somewhere else.
The Koh-i-noor was cut in London,
but Holland Jew, Mr.. vogelsang, an
employee of the diamond-cutting firm of
Coster Bros. did the work, and it re-
mains lasting regret among connois-
seurs, that his judgment as to the
cutting of this "Mound of Light was
not followed. Mr.. Vogelsang is at
present past the eightieth milestone
upon the roadway of life, but is
enthusiastic upon the diamond subject
and proudly shows the visitor an
photographic letter of Queen Victoria,
in which the poor Jew of Amsterdam
is thanked for his skilful manipulation
of a stone valued then at $780, 900.
The letter was accompanied by pres
ent worthy of the high position of the
writer and Mr.. Vogelsang's bank ac-
count was opened with deposit of
$4,000. The old gentleman's eyes
shine like stones of high degree when
telling that he received an order from
the King of Holland to proceed to Lon
don for the purpose of cutting the
largest diamond the world ever heard
Of and to remember that the reputation
of the Amsterdam lapidaries was in his
keeping.
According to authentic records the
existence of the Koh-i-noor was known
in 1904 beyond the shadow of doubt,
but traditions honorcd with belief in
the families of Princes in British India
carry it back fifty centuries. When
Mr.. Vogelsang took the precious gem
in his hands for the first time it weighed
1856 1-16 carats. He commenced the
cutting July 6, 1852, and reduced tho
weight of the stone precisely fifty
carats, it being 1856 1-16 carats when
the operation was finished.
The old gentleman has been pen
stoned by the firm his skill has made
famous in the mercantile and scientific
world, but his highest pleasure consists
in talking diamonds to visitors. A
few years before his retirement from
actual labor he was sent for by the
Empress of the Russians, and exam
ined in Moscow an uncut gem present.
ed to the Czarina by q Tartar noble
man and weighing ninety-seven carats.
At MIR. Vogelsang's advice the stone
was sent to Amsterdam to be cut by
him, and for seven months he labored
faithfully to execute a task said to
have been the most marvellous exhibit
ton of lapidary's genius. In the
employ of the firm was a Polish young
man of great promise as skilful
manipulation of gems, who assisted in
the difficult feat of smoothing the
facets of the precious stone. Every
night when the days labor was
concluded the valuable article was
returned to the hands of one of the firm
who had it in custody when it was not on
the bench. One morning, when it was
being placed on the revolving disk and
Mr.. Vogelsang was in the act of COM
mencing his labors upon it, he fell to the
floor in faint. All was commotion in
the workshop, and when brought to con
seriousness the old diamond-cutter's first
words were: ''My God, it is crystal. .
The gem belonging to Russia's En-.
press, valued at $500, 900, given into the
custody of the largest diamond firm in
the world, had turned into piece o.
glass. Investigation proved that the
gem at that moment in the possession o.
the firm was crystal and worth about
five guldens, but that the Polish assist
ant had aided the simon-pure article
to leave the mostly atmosphere Of the
metropolis Of the Netherlands. In the
English as she is spoke,'' by Mr.
] Vogelsang, HE was stolen entirely
Great was the excitement in the dia
mond centers of civilization. Tel
egraphic wires grew hot conveying de
scriptions Of gem and thief into ever,
police office of the Old World. For fiv,
days all trace of the Polish exile will
his Russian possession was lost, whel
at eleven clock of the sixth night tn
electric messenger brought Mr.. Vo
gelsang the cheerful intelligence tina
the compatriot of Kosciusko had beef
captured in the Jardin Mabille in sin
full Paris, and that he had the damon,
in his pocket. Nj. vogalsang says h
"bursted with joy and nobod.
doubts. Amsterdam Cor. Milvauks
Sentinel.